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#3 Dallas Mavericks
While the Dallas Mavericks are not under as much pressure as others, they have considerable projected cap space and have a superstar who won't hang around waiting for the team to become good enough to challenge for an NBA title.
The benefit for the Mavs front office is the fact that Luka Doncic intends on signing an extension this summer. If he does so, he can net $70m more than if he waited until his restricted free agency to move. However, it is who they surround the Slovenian with that is the problem going forward for Dallas. Due to their flexibility in the offseason, they have already been linked with all the biggest stars in the NBA. Who wouldn't want to play with potentially the next best player in the league?
Bradley Beal, Damian Lillard and Kyle Lowry are all attainable targets and would all improve the Mavs' hopes of a deeper postseason run dramatically. They also have Tim Hardaway Jr.'s contract to consider, which is currently being tagged as a priority after his NBA playoff performances.
#2 Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics have a huge offseason ahead of them if they want to keep pace with the Eastern Conference's top three sides. With NBA All-Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the franchise knows they potentially have a short window in which to succeed before one, if not both, becomes agitated.
Finishing seventh after reaching the NBA Finals in 2020 was simply not good enough and while injuries got in the way of their continuity, the C's had glaring areas for improvement. For one, they need a consistent big man who can challenge the likes of Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo in any potential future NBA playoff series. They also require scoring depth, particularly having already traded Kemba Walker this summer and with the potential of losing Evan Fournier in free agency too.
However, achieving all of this is easier said than done. The Boston Celtics lost Walker's oversized contract and brought back Al Horford with his oversized contract. However, in the process, they did save $9m.
Nevertheless, it will be difficult to know what to do in the offseason for new President Brad Stevens. Will they continue to save for the 2022 NBA free agency window or will they re-sign Fournier and use their mid-level exception to bring in another player?
#1 New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans wasted no time in their offseason endeavors. On Monday, they were able to offload Eric Bledsoe's contract and their unwanted lottery pick for Memphis Grizzlies center Jonas Valancuinas. The Lithuanian will replace Steven Adams, who was also involved in the trade, and will hope to be a better fit alongside franchise star Zion Williamson.
On paper, the deal looks to benefit the Pels. They gained a superior scorer and rebounder while giving up a few unnecessary assets. However, this won't be it for the Pelicans this summer. If they want to keep Williamson happy after suggestions that his family members wanted him out of New Orleans, they need to show they are making a concerted effort to push for the NBA playoffs.
Guess the Lakers players!
